Carbonated-water-supply apparatus



L. CAUL.

CARBONATED WATER SUPPLY APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. a. 1919.

1,385,.W4. Patentedkpr. 6,1920

LOUIS CAUL, OF DE'ICBGIT, MICHIGAN.

CABBONATED-W'ATEB-SUPELY APPARATUS.

- Application filed February 8, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS OAUL, a citizen ofthe United States ofAmerica, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGarbonatedi ater- Supply Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention aims to provide a carbonated water supply apparatus whereinpositive and reliable means are employed, as hereinafter set forth, forsupplying carbonated water or other charged liquid to the faucets of asoda fountain, with the charging of the water and the supply of the sameunderthe control of the operator or attendant of the fountain, therebypermitting the operator to replenish the supply of carbonated water andregulate the phosphorescent quality of the same.

My invention further aims to provide an apparatus of the above classwherein the supply of water for carbonating purposes is electricallycontrolled by the user or dispenser of the same, and an electricallyoperated safety device employed to guard against over-charglng.

The apparatus includes a reservoir adapted to be suitably cooled, andreceive water and carbon dioxid gas, which commingle and supply faucets,especially constructed to include electrical switches for controlling anelectrically operated pump adapted to supply the water to the reservoir.All of the mechanical constructions entering into the apparatus areof'such a nature that they may be readily installed in lieu of thepresent soda fountains, without materially changing the fixtures orfurniture of the fountain, and my apparatus will be hereinafterspecifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the draw ing wherein Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the apparatus, partly broken away, illustrating some of theelectrical wiring;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a faucet, partly in section,and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional. view of the faucet.

In describing my invention by aid of the views above referred to, Idesire to point out that the same are intended as merely illus trativeof the apparatus as now constructed,

Specification of Letters Patent.

device as at 15.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Serial No. 275,917.

placed in a cooling chamber or located where its contents may bemaintained at a low temperature to provide a refreshing drink.

2 denotes a conventional form of portable cylinder or reservoir adaptedto contain a supply of carbon dioxid gas (00 and this supply of gas isconnected by a pipe 3 to the top of the reservoir 1, said pipe having aconventional form of valve 4: to close the pipe 3, when the gas cylinder2 is detached therefrom to provide a new supply. The pipe 3 is alsoprovided with a pressure regulating valve 5 and a pressure gage 6, bothbeing of the ordinary and well known type.

7 denotes a pump in communication with a water supply pipe 8 and havinganother pipe 9 extending to the bottom of the reservoir l and providedwith a check valve 10, within the reservoir.

11 denotes an electric motor suitably geared to the water pump 7 foroperating said pump, said pump and its motor being electricallycontrolled as will hereinafter appear.

12 denotes a pressure safety device car.- ried by the top of thereservoir 1, said safety device including a pressure actuated diaphragmof a conventional form which has the diaphragm rod 13 engaging orconnected to a resilient switch arm 1 1 carried by and insulated fromthe diaphragm casing of the The resilient switch arm 14; normallyengages a contact member 16 carried by and insulated from the casing ofthe device, and the switch is normally closed, as shown, but adapted tobe opened when pressure within the reservoir 1 flexes the dia-.

phragm of the device and raises the rod 13.

1? denotes one or more fountain faucets connected by pipes 18 to areservoir conncction 19, said reservoir connection having an outlet pipe20 within the reservoir and extend ng in proximity to the bottomthereof, so that practically the entire contents of the reservoir may beremoved before the same is recharged with water. I

Each faucet includes a valve body 21 having a suitable discharge nozzle22 in communication with a ported conical plug seat 23 for a portedconical plug 24; which controls the discharge of carbonated water fromthe nozzle 22. The plug 24 is provided with a threaded stem 25 and atubular stem 26, and mounted on these stems is a valve operating devicecomprising a two part yoke 27 having a suitable handle or knob 28. Theyoke 27 is made in two parts to facilitate assembling and said yokeparts may be conveniently retained in engagement with each other by acoupling sleeve 29 which also connects the handle 28 to the yoke. One ofthe yoke parts is grooved or provided with a channel, as at 30, toprovide clearance for lead-in wires 31, and the groove or channel ofsaid yoke part is closed by a detachable plate 32. The lead-in wires 31extend into a socket 333 in the handle 28 and are connected to aconventional form of push but ton or switch 34 located in the outer endof the socket 33 with its button or operating device exposed, so thatthe same hand gripping the handle 28 may also operate the push button.

The valve body 21 has that side thereof adjacent the grooved yoke partcut away to accommodate a tubular insulator 34 which surrounds thetubular stem 26, said insulator having openings 35 through which ex-.tend wires 36 that extend out of the faucet,

as shown in Fig. 1. The inner ends of the wires 36 are connected tobinding posts 37 carried by the inner wall of the insulator 34 and saidbinding posts are provided with resilient contact members 38 normallyengaging and wiping contact rings 39 set in an insulator 40 mounted onthe tubular stem 26. The insulator 4,0 and the stem 26 are provided withopenings for the lead-in wires 31, thereby establishing a rotaryelectrical connection for the two sets of wires within the faucet,permitting of the faucet being operated without breaking any electricalwire connections.

Considering the wiring of the electrical apparatus, one of the faucetwires 36 is connected to the motor 11 and the other faucet wire to theswitch arm 14 of the diaphragm pressure actuated switch 12. The contactmember 16 of said switch and the motor 11 are connected bywires 41 to asuitable source of electrical energy, for instance I an ordinaryelectric light circuit of 110 7 in operation. Thus pump supplies waterto the reservoir 1 as long as the push button 34 is closed, but shouldthe operator through negligence or for some other cause overcharge thereservoir 1, by keeping his hand on the push button 34, the excessivepressure within the reservoir causes the diaphragm actuated switch 12 tobe operated to break the circuit by raising the resilient switch arm 14off of the contact member 16 thus preventing the reservoir from beingburst due to an excessive charge therein.

The pressure of gas to the reservoir 1 is regulated by the valve 5,consequently it is possible to have the water within the reservoir 1more or less charged as may be desired, as the quantity of water in thereservoir 1 decreases the quantity left therein will naturally becomeimpregnated with the carbon dioxid gas and should the charged water betoo strong and provide somewhat of an interrupted flow at the nozzle 22,it is only necessary for the operator of the nozzle to press the pushbutton 34 and replenish the reservoir 1 with water, thereby diluting orreducing the strength of the water within the reservoir.

The pressure safety device may be of any well known type located on thereservoir or at some remote point in the system and it is also obviousthat any type of a make and break switch may be associated with thepressure regulator.

Considering the faucet, it is possible to reconstruct the present typeof rotary disk outlet member now in use so that it will serve mypurpose. It is not actually necessary to use the rotary electric contactdevice, which I have shown, as with sometypes of faucets it is possibleto have direct electrical connections. Furthermore, in the type offaucet shown the yoke may be cast hollow so that wires may be threadedtherethrough to the push button, which may be of any type, for instancethe plug and socket kind, so that an electric circuit may be controlled.

What I claim is 1. In a carbonated water supply apparatus, thecombination of a reservoir adapted to receive carbon dioxid gas, a pumpadapted to supply water to said reservoir to be charged by the gas insaid reservoir, a faucet communicating with said reservoir and having apivoted handle. and a push button carried by the handle of said faucetand adapted to control the operation of said pump.

2. In a carbonated water supply apparatus, the combination of areservoir adapted to receive carbon dioxid gas, an electrically operatedpump adapted to supply water to said reservoir to be charged by the gasin said reservoir, a faucet communicatbig with said reservoir and havinga yoke handle, a push button carried by the yoke In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature handle of said faucet, and a rotary contact in thepresence of two Witnesses. device in the faucet to maintain anelectrical connection between said push button and LOUIS CAUL' 5 saidelectrically operated pump at or during Witnesses:

any position of adjustment of the handle of KARL H. BUTLER,

said faucet. ANNA M. DORR.

